Dudley, Stourbridge and District Electric Tramways
Owner Dudley, Stourbridge and District Electric Traction Co Ltd (a subsidiary of the British Electric Traction Company Ltd)
Took over 2nd April 1898 (Dudley and Stourbridge Steam Tramways [steam]
First electric route 26th July 1899
Operator Dudley, Stourbridge and District Electric Traction Co Ltd
Took over (operation) 5th April 1901 (Kinver Light Railway - a subsidiary of the British Electric Traction Company Ltd)
Took over (ownership) 29th September 1902 (Kinver Light Railway)
Ownership transferred 1st July 1904 to the Birmingham and Midland Tramways Joint Committee (another British Electric Traction Company Ltd entity)
Taken over 1st January 1909 (Dudley Corporation) - all track within municipal boundary; leased back to the DSDET for a period of 30 years
Took over 1st April 1924 (South Staffordshire Tramways [Lessee] Co Ltd - a subsidiary of the British Electric Traction Company Ltd) - Wednesbury to Dudley line
Took over 31st August 1928 (Wolverhampton District Electric Tramways) - Willenhall to Darlaston section (operated by Walsall Corporation Tramways) and former South Staffordshire lines worked by the WDET
Closed 1st October 1930 - upon purchase of its sole remaining line - WIllenhall to Darlaston - by Walsall Corporation
Length 21.24 miles
Gauge 3ft 6ins
Button description Wheel, magnet and electrical flashes
Materials known Brass; chrome; black horn
Button Line reference [113/16]
Comment Currently I have no firm evidence that staff were issued with the standard BET 'Magnet & Wheel' button; however, given that BET almost certainly had a common approach to all its subsidiaries (with the exception of its London operations), this would almost seem to be a foregone conclusion.
The history of BET-owned tramways in the Black Country is a complex one. BET essentially started by purchasing shares in Birmingham and Midland Tramways (steam) and then rapidly expanded their influence by gaining control of several other key tramways. On 1st July 1904, BET transferred their shares in these companies to a new BET-owned body called the Birmingham and Midland Tramways Joint Committee (known as the Birmingham and District Power and Traction Co Ltd from 13th August 1912). This committee controlled the following companies:
- Birmingham and Midland Tramways (via the Birmingham and Midland Tramways Co Ltd)
- City of Birmingham Tramways (via the City of Birmingham Tramways Co Ltd)
- Dudley, Stourbridge and District Electric Tramways (via the Dudley, Stourbridge and District Electric Traction Co Ltd)
- Kidderminster and Stourport Electric Tramway (via Kidderminster and District Electric Light and Traction Co Ltd) - from 1917
- Kinver Light Railway (owned by the DSDET)
- South Staffordshire Tramways (via the South Staffordshire Tramways [Lessee] Company Limited)
- Wolverhampton District Electric Tramways (via Wolverhampton District Electric Tramways Ltd)
The B&MTJC worked both in conjunction, as well as in competition with its many local authorities, many of whom had their own ambitions. This was ultimately to cause the downfall of the Committee, with its last lines being handed over to Walsall Corporation in 1930.